Alison Stewart
Encyclopedia
Alison Stewart is an American
radio and television journalist. She was one of the hosts of the Bryant Park Project
, a morning drive news program from NPR
. Stewart first gained widespread visibility as a political correspondent for MTV News
in the 1990s.
where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American literature. She began her broadcasting career there where she was the music director for the school's radio station, WBRU
.
, host PBS
's Act Against Racism campaign, and contributed to Swing magazine.
.
Stewart remained at MTV for much of the 1990s, contributing segments to other MTV News shows including Megadose and MTV News: Unfiltered. She also hosted specials including the Real World Reunion
in 1995.
in December 1996. While there, she reported for several of the network's news programs, including CBS News Sunday Morning
, 48 Hours, and Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel.
, she anchored its early morning news program, World News Now; she also contributed reports to Good Morning America
and 20/20 Downtown.
where she was a daytime anchor and primary substitute host for Countdown with Keith Olbermann
. She occasionally filled in as newsreader on NBC
's Weekend Today
. From May 2006 to April 2007, she hosted a daytime news program The Most with Alison Stewart
on MSNBC. Stewart married MSNBC Vice President of Programming Bill Wolff
in November 2006.
) a morning drive show called The Bryant Park Project, which targeted adults between ages 25 and 44. The program premiered October 1, 2007 and was canceled effective Friday, July 25, 2008. Stewart returned from maternity leave to host the show's last week, starting Monday, July 21, 2008.
Stewart served as a panelist on NPR's Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! on August 2, 2008. She appeared again on August 31, 2008 and October 11, 2008.
She has served as fill in host of NPR's Talk of the Nation
and as primary substitute host of MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show
and Countdown with Keith Olbermann
.
on PBS
. She left the show on September 9, 2011; in her departure announcement she said she would be finishing a book she had "been working on for years."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio and television journalist. She was one of the hosts of the Bryant Park Project
Bryant Park Project
The Bryant Park Project was a short-lived morning radio newsmagazine from National Public Radio. The show's name was derived from Bryant Park in New York City, which NPR's New York studios overlook. While the Bryant Park Project was originally a working title, the show debuted with the name...
, a morning drive news program from NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
. Stewart first gained widespread visibility as a political correspondent for MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
in the 1990s.
Early life
Stewart, a native of the New York City suburb of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, is the daughter of a pharmaceutical company executive and a high school science teacher.Education
Stewart attended Brown UniversityBrown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American literature. She began her broadcasting career there where she was the music director for the school's radio station, WBRU
WBRU
WBRU is a commercial alternative rock radio station in Providence, Rhode Island that broadcasts on 95.5 FM. It was the first student-owned-and-operated campus radio station in the United States when it started as the Brown Network at Brown University in 1936...
.
WHTZ and PBS
Stewart anchored news segments for New York City's WHTZWHTZ
WHTZ — branded Z100 — is a commercial pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications...
, host PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
's Act Against Racism campaign, and contributed to Swing magazine.
1991-1995: MTV
In 1991, Stewart arrived at MTV News as a segment producer when she was hired by MTV News Director Linda Corradina. She began on-air reporting during MTV's first "Choose or Lose" segments, which covered the 1992 presidential race. Her coverage earned her a Peabody AwardPeabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
.
Stewart remained at MTV for much of the 1990s, contributing segments to other MTV News shows including Megadose and MTV News: Unfiltered. She also hosted specials including the Real World Reunion
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
in 1995.
1996: CBS News
Stewart left MTV and moved to CBS NewsCBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
in December 1996. While there, she reported for several of the network's news programs, including CBS News Sunday Morning
CBS News Sunday Morning
CBS News Sunday Morning is an American television news magazine program created by Robert Northshield and original host Charles Kuralt. The program has aired continuously since January 28, 1979 on the CBS Television Network, airing in the Eastern US on Sunday from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m...
, 48 Hours, and Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel.
2003: ABC News
Moving to ABC NewsABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, she anchored its early morning news program, World News Now; she also contributed reports to Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
and 20/20 Downtown.
2003-2007: MSNBC & Olbermann
In 2003, Stewart moved from ABC News to MSNBCMSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
where she was a daytime anchor and primary substitute host for Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
. She occasionally filled in as newsreader on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Weekend Today
Weekend Today
Weekend Today is the unofficial title of the weekend editions of Today, an American morning news and talk show which airs daily on NBC.-History:...
. From May 2006 to April 2007, she hosted a daytime news program The Most with Alison Stewart
The Most with Alison Stewart
The Most was an American television news program on MSNBC. Broadcast live at 12:00 PM ET daily, the program focused on the top news stories of the day people are looking at on MSNBC.com...
on MSNBC. Stewart married MSNBC Vice President of Programming Bill Wolff
Bill Wolff
Bill Wolff is the vice-president of prime-time programming for the cable news channel MSNBC, as well as the executive producer of The Rachel Maddow Show. At MSNBC, he was previously the executive producer of The Situation with Tucker Carlson - later called Tucker - before his promotion in 2005...
in November 2006.
2007 to 2010: NPR and The Bryant Park Project
Stewart joined NPR in May 2007 to host (along with Luke BurbankLuke Burbank
Luke Burbank is an American podcaster who currently hosts the Seattle-based former radio program and current podcast Too Beautiful to Live....
) a morning drive show called The Bryant Park Project, which targeted adults between ages 25 and 44. The program premiered October 1, 2007 and was canceled effective Friday, July 25, 2008. Stewart returned from maternity leave to host the show's last week, starting Monday, July 21, 2008.
Stewart served as a panelist on NPR's Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! on August 2, 2008. She appeared again on August 31, 2008 and October 11, 2008.
She has served as fill in host of NPR's Talk of the Nation
Talk of the Nation
Talk of the Nation is a talk radio program based in the United States, produced by National Public Radio, and is broadcast nationally from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Its focus is current events and controversial issues....
and as primary substitute host of MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show
The Rachel Maddow Show (TV series)
The Rachel Maddow Show is a news and opinion television program that airs weeknights on MSNBC at 9:00 p.m. ET. It is hosted by Rachel Maddow, who gained popularity with her frequent appearances as a liberal pundit on various MSNBC programs. It is based on her former radio show of the same name...
and Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
.
2010-2011: Need to Know
On May 7, 2010 she became the co-host of the new show Need to KnowNeed to Know (PBS)
Need to Know is an American public television news program produced by WNET, New York City and broadcast weekly on all Public Broadcasting Service stations in the United States....
on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. She left the show on September 9, 2011; in her departure announcement she said she would be finishing a book she had "been working on for years."
External links
- "Biography: Alison Stewart", PBS Need to Know website.